Bangalore, Mar 23 (DHNS): Frolicking turned fatal for two young boys as they drowned in an abandoned water sump at the New Binny Layout here on Friday.
Gagan (6) and Bharath (8), who also happen to be cousins, stayed with their families at rented accommodation at Binnypet. Their families had relocated from Mandya. While the men worked as coolies at K R Market, Gagan and Bharath studied at New St Paul’s School.
Soon after returning from school on Friday, Gagan left for Bharath’s house a few blocks away.
They were seen playing on the streets around 1:30 pm. As Gagan did not turn up for lunch on time, his mother Mamata went looking for him at Bharath’s house. Their mothers soon realised that the children were missing and went scouting for them.
Mahesh, one of the residents of the locality, told Deccan Herald that somebody informed him in the evening that the boys were spotted playing near an under-construction building next to Bharath’s house. Their distraught parents rushed to the building, only to find Gagan and Bharath’s clothes scattered around the sump. Mahesh said the boys were immediately rescued from the sump and taken to Joshi Nursing Home at Sirsi Circle. He claimed that Gagan and Bharath were still breathing.
“But the nursing home refused to admit the boys. They referred us to Victoria Hospital, but refused to provide an ambulance with oxygen facilities. At Victoria Hospital, the boys were declared brought dead,” Mahesh said. Joshi Nursing Home authorities were not available for comment.
It was learnt that the building and the site belonged to a person named Armugam of Tamil Nadu. The construction came to a standstill six months ago following a dispute over the land. The sump, which was left uncovered, was around four feet wide and seven feet deep. The site did not even have a gate, thus providing the children easy access to the sump.
The J J Nagar police have registered a case of negligence against Armugam. Armugam is absconding. Senior police officers who visited the spot said that it was evident that the boys did not fall into the sump by accident.